When we think of the civil rights movement, we tend to think of grainy footage of marches and speeches, Selma, Ala., and the National Mall.
But our generation, too, is a part of that movement and has a critical role to play. It has been a long journey for our country, but we are now close to finally realizing our founders' vision of a society where all are created equal and endowed with the same inalienable rights.
It's time to end the discrimination based on sexual identity or orientation that is the only form of institutionalized discrimination still permitted in our society. That is why I am working to repeal the Defense of Marriage Act and Don't Ask Don't Tell and am committed to equal rights for all Americans.
On Saturday, President Obama will address the Human Rights Campaign. I hope he will use the opportunity to clearly call for the swift repeal of these discriminatory policies. We can get it done this year, and human rights should not be asked to wait.
In my three decades as an officer in the United States Navy, I lost good sailors to the "Don't Ask Don't Tell" law -- sailors that I, and the nation, depended on for their training, skills, and courage.
Over the last 16 years we've lost 12,500 good servicemembers to this policy. In a time of war, our national security cannot afford to lose these troops, especially high-value specialists and linguists. But more so, our military cohesion depends on honesty and integrity. How can we demand that the 65,000 of our troops who are estimated to be gay act dishonestly and conceal information from their comrades and commanders? No one who serves in defense of liberty should be forced to live a lie.
I cannot imagine denying equal rights to anyone I served with. How can anyone say, we fought and served together, we depended on one another, we risked our lives for this country, but back home you shouldn't enjoy the rights that you defended?
That's why I have co-sponsored the Respect for Marriage Act, which would repeal DOMA and require the federal government to extend to the tens of thousands of legally married same-sex couples the more than 1,100 federal rights and benefits afforded to opposite-sex couples, including tax, pension, and benefits rights and the right to take unpaid leave to care for ill spouses. I have sent a letter urging Speaker Nancy Pelosi to bring the bill up for a vote and I am circulating a petition to show support.
The struggle for equality has never been easy and it won't be today. But I am confident. This is a historic and, indeed, an exciting time for America, when we declare once and for all that there is no such thing as equality that doesn't extend to everyone, that we hold this truth to be self-evident.
Cross-posted from gayrights.change.org
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Speaking of speech, it appears that whatever good McCain-Feingold wrought will be toast soon when the Supreme Court discards it. If this health care debate has taught me one thing it is that Campaign FInance Reform is necessary. Please bear this in mind, future Senator.
That is a two way street. One may tolerate a different value system but they do not have to accept it. The problem in much of the debate is there are some who will act hateful to those people who have different values. On both sides. That is why the name calling or labeling interferes with the recognizing or respecting of differences. Fact of life I guess.
WHY IS IT THAT NON CHRISTIANS TELL CHRISTIANS THAT THAT THEY KNOW EVERYTHING THERE IS TO KNOW ABOUT OUR RELIGION?
YOU AREN'T CHRISTIAN AND YOU DON'T KNOW.....
I was going to support you and work for you.
Now I've changed my mind.
I will vote for Senator Specter.
I view Gay Marria1ge as being the next "New Age" baloney.
Maybe there is something in the water that has given rise to this insanity, I don't know.
But as a resident of Pennsylvania...
Not on my watch...
Say what you think, call me names and call Christians names too.
We have all of human history on our side...what do you have?
Like the Constitution's 1st amendment prohibition on discrimination on religious grounds and the its 14th which says all citizens have the same rights? Are those the crazy innovations you speak of?
Or, is it the field of Psychology, which found in 1956 that homosexuality isn't a disorder by coming up with the crazy idea to find out if homosexuality is a mental illness or not by studying men without a history of treatment for mental illness?
Whether you or others like it or not, gay Americans are citizens of this country, pay taxes, and have the same rights under the Constitution as heterosexuals. Because homosexuality is a valid sexual orientation, not a disorder, gay people are equal to heterosexuals in all respects and must be afforded the full gamut of human rights, including the right to have their marriages recognized.
I think you are confused.
At any rate, this is my state and not on my watch.
Of course, Specter is teetering with many in the state and anything is possible.
If your entire argument is based on a false assumption, the rest of it does not really take hold.
Perhaps your talking about a time before Reagan, who really cleaned the services up. I know, I joined mid-Carter in 1978 and the drugs and professionalism were terrible. Admiral Sestak's time in closely parallels my own, he knows what I'm talking about. Like the Admiral, I have seen gay Sailors kicked out. I don't know the stats but a lot of them used it as an out to get a discharge because they didn't like the Navy. In general, it is a myth that gay Sailors are tracked down and discharged.
Black service personnel still lose bars for offenses that white service personnel might recieve barracks detention for. Today, Nick.
Kick Specters Butt too please.
"Section. 1. All persons born or naturalized in the United States and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside.
No State shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States; nor shall any State deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws."
Although Joe's running for the Dem senate seat, he will get no primary support from the Dem establishment because of the Specter party switch (to save his own behind) payoff.
Joe obviously has many pro family (Not phony "family values"), pro union, pro individual right issues which us liberals support. And unlike the majority of Chickenhawks from the right, he's put his life on the line for decades to support the issues that make America the guiding symbol an individual's right to life, liberty, & the pursuit of happiness.
Maybe some of us can afford to forgo the price of microbrew beer, or Starbuck style coffee one day a week & send that to Joe's campaign.
http://joesestak.com
If you can't afford to donate cash, maybe you can afford to donate your time to educate people on why Joe is the best candidate for America at this point in time.
What else must we wait for to avoid things like the DOMA briefs, the firing of hundreds of soldiers for being gay by someone who campaigned on exactly the opposite platform (coupled with a brief saying the policy is rational and good for the military -- and game-playing like having proxies change end/repeal to change/humanize when discussing the future of the policy). Harry Reid said he would support the Tauscher bill to end DADT only if the President would. Neither did.
The gAyTM is down, at least in my neck of the woods.
Thank you. Thank you for saying that. I really mean it. I think your heart's in the right place.
But I didn't really see me mentioned. Even though you probably meant to mention me. But You didn't. Really.
See, I'm transgendered. Transsexual, actually. Got the new birth certificate and everything. I'm a former Marine, too, seeing as how you're a retired Vice Admiral (I was in the Marine Air Wing, so I can admit the Marine Corps is still technically part of the Navy, joined at the SECNAV.)
There are Gays and Lesbians who don't want to include Trans and don't want Trans included. They thought it was all right to exclude Trans folks in 2007, when openly gay Rep Barney Frank withdrew his his Employment Non Discrimination Act (ENDA) that included the words (wait for it...)
Gender Identity;
and replaced it with two bills, one just for Sexual Orientation, and another one just for Gender identity.
The bill for Sexual Orientation Only (Gay+Lesbian, but not Trnasgender) was passed by the House. The one for Gender Identity Only (Transgender) sank like a rock tied to an anchor. Didn't even come up in committee.
So, I'm glad you're on board, so to speak. But please learn the lingo,
It's Sexual orientation -- which gender you're aroused by; and Gender Identity - which gender you feel you should be grouped with and treated as during the other 99% of the time you're not 'being intimate'.
Thanks;